ASTM Board Chairman receives Margaret Dana Award.

Share:

Press Release Summary:

Catherine H. Pilarz, senior director of Mattel/Fisher-Price product safety in East Aurora, NY, and 2011 chairman of ASTM board of directors, received ASTM Margaret Dana Award from Committee F15 on Consumer Products. Pilarz received award in recognition of her efforts in support of Committee F15 and for her commitment to safety through development of global safety standards. She was also honored with the 2006 ASTM Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow for her contributions to F15.

Original Press Release:

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., -Catherine (Kitty) H. Pilarz, senior director of Mattel/Fisher-Price product safety in East Aurora, N.Y., and 2011 chairman of the ASTM board of directors, has received the ASTM Margaret Dana Award from Committee F15 on Consumer Products.

Pilarz received the Dana Award in recognition of her tireless efforts in support of Committee F15 and for her commitment to safety through the development of global safety standards. A member of the ASTM board of directors since 2006, Pilarz is vice chairman of new projects for Committee F15, co-chairman of Subcommittee F15.18 on Cribs, Toddler Beds, Play Yards, Bassinets, Cradles and Changing Tables, and a participant in many other F15 subcommittees. She was honored with the 2006 ASTM Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow for her contributions to F15.

In her professional position, Pilarz is responsible for the safety policy of the Mattel and Fisher-Price product lines, which helps to assure that all products conform to corporate safety requirements. She provides technical direction for product development related to safety issues.

Pilarz began working for Fisher-Price as an engineer-in-training in 1980. She went on to hold positions as a project engineer, manufacturing engineer and quality control engineer before becoming manager of product safety and reliability in 1987. She assumed her current role in 2001.

Pilarz is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society for Quality. Through ASQ, she has earned the designations of certified reliability engineer and certified quality engineer.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo where she received a B.S. in mechanical engineering, Pilarz has served as symposium chair for the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization, and as president and board member of that group, which works to promote product safety through education and communication. She holds an M.B.A. from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y.

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.